Chief Justice (Rtd.) David Maraga has condemned 2022 presidential candidates for failing to outline how they will eliminate graft and misuse of resources once they ascend to power.
Speaking at the official opening of 15th Science Conference for Orthopedic Doctors in Mombasa County, Maraga said politicians needed to tell Kenyans if they would obey the law, unlike their predecessors who have disregarded the same.
He reiterated that the country loses an estimate of Ksh608 billion to graft annually, saying that the amount could be used to pay the SGR debt in less than one year.
"We are already in the campaign mood and most are giving very good ideas. However, in my view, nobody, non of the presidential aspirants has come up to address the major issues facing this country."
"I stand to be corrected but we have two major problems in this country; disregard for the law and graft," Maraga stated.
During his term as Chief Justice, Maraga's relationship with the Office of the President was riddled with public acts of discord. The two openly voiced the discontent with each other's handling of matters involving the Executive and the Judiciary.
Some of the moments the two openly expressed disapproval of each other included the nullification of the 2017 presidential election, budgetary cuts, appointment of Judges and dissolution of Parliament.
In a previous interview, he noted that he would remember the President Uhuru Kenyatta as one who disregarded the rule of law.
Weighing in on the matter where the President failed to appoint six Judges recommended to him by the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), Maraga stated that his reluctance was an affront to the rule of law.
He added that the Head of State’s sole responsibility was to appoint Judges and then discuss any issues of integrity with the JSC.
"Article 166 (1b) of the Kenyan law states that the President shall appoint all the Judges in accordance with the recommendations of the JSC subject to the approval by the National Assembly (in the case of the Chief Justice and the Deputy Chief Justice),” the former CJ said.
